Rocktown Kitchen is a farm-to-table eatery that serves upscale food at reasonable prices. The menu offers a wide range of options for various price allowances; entrees range from $11-$31.
The brunch menu offers various burgers and salads, along with more typical breakfast options such as omelettes and pancakes.
On Sunday morning, I was beginning to regret my reservation for one for an early brunch at Rocktown. It was misting outside, and staying in bed after a late night was tremendously tempting, but after a brief glance at Rocktown Kitchen’s menu on their website, I remembered why I had selected this spot for my Weather Vane review.
Built in 1934 and renovated in 2014, Harrisonburg’s Ice House is now home to a number of restaurants and retail stores, including Rocktown Kitchen. The Harrisonburg Farmers’ Market is visible through the restaurant’s back windows, and I could already imagine a cozy morning one fall, picking up fresh pumpkins at the farmers market after a homey breakfast at Rocktown.
I was greeted warmly by the hostess as I entered, and she told me I could sit anywhere I would like, be it the bar, a high top, a booth, or a table. I opted for a high top, almost instantly regretting my position as a solo diner in the center of the restaurant. I tried to ignore patrons lingering eyes as they entered the restaurant.
After sitting down, I was greeted by my server and his protégé, who would wait attentively on me for the duration of my stay. Having already looked at the menu ahead of time, I ordered a black coffee and the crab omelette. A few minutes after my coffee arrived, the waiter-in-training brought me a small plate with two slices of banana bread. “Dang,” I thought, “this place is fancy.”
I used my fingers to tear the bread into more manageable pieces and unceremoniously dipped them into my coffee. The server again returned, this time with a bottle of ketchup. For a frightening moment I thought it was for the banana bread, before I remembered the breakfast potatoes that were to come along with my omelette.
I sipped my coffee and snacked on my bread while attempting to look casual at my high table in the center of the restaurant. is was my first time eating out alone, and I was determined not to look at my phone during my meal. So I let my gaze wander around. The interior was industrial yet homey, with exposed brick walls, open ceilings, and accent walls of a warm, greenish blue hue. Retro pendant lights hung above the booths, which lined a window covered left wall. A print of an antique map of Virginia and a pre-renovation photo of the space paid homage to the site’s his- tory as an ice house.
I could smell the savory crab in my omelette as soon as it was placed on the table before me. I eagerly cut a bite off; the egg was fluffy – practically bouncy – and full of vegetables, including artichoke. Rocktown was not stingy with the crab, either. Each bite was flavorful, the combination of artichoke, crab, and a flavorful boursin spread created a bold yet balanced flavor. I could hardly taste the egg, which simply acted as the vessel for the rest of the ingredients. The omelette came with two slices of sourdough and a generous portion of breakfast potatoes, which I covered in ketchup and ate slowly, so as not to make myself too full to finish the main dish.
The staff was attentive and friendly, and the restaurant’s owner could be seen walking about, occasionally pausing at tables to inquire how their meal was. Many patrons were greeted by name by the wait-staff and treated with a polite familiarity characteristic of a Harrisonburg establishment. I was flattered when the owner recalled my name in conversation as we chatted on my way out.
My meal totaled to a little over $18, a fair price for a meal that left me full, satisfied, and eager to return. You can find Rocktown Kitchen in the Harrisonburg Ice House, at 217 S. Liberty St.
